Improvement in hydro-electric lamps



w. H. ZIMNIERMAYN.

Hydro-Henrik: Lamp.

N0.160,739. Paten tedMarch9J875.

, WITNESSES:

' ATTIIRNEYS.

THE GRAPHIC (:0.PHOTO.-LITH.39&4I PARK PLACE.N-

UNITED STATES PATENT Orrron.

WILLIAM H. ZIMMERMAN, OF GHESTERTOWN, MARYLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN HYDRO-ELECTRIC LAMPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 160,739, dated March 9,1875; application filed January 11, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Prof. WILLIAM H. ZIM- MERMAN, of Washington College,Chestertown, in the county of Kent and State of Maryland, have inventeda new and Improved Hydro-Electric Lamp; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of thisspecification, in which the figure is a side elevation.

The object of this invention is to provide a lamp in which theprinciples of the galvanic battery and a Dobereiner apparatus arecombined and utilized in an improved manner for the purpose of renderingthe lamp self-lighting. It consists in the peculiar construction andarrangement of parts, as will first be fully described, and then pointedout in the claims.

In the drawing, A represents the pedestal or supporting-base of thelamp. This said pedestal is hollow, and is partially filled with dilutesulphuric acid X, which, with the zinc U, suspended in the bell-jar T,forms the necessary elements of the Dobereiner apparatus for generatinghydrogen. W is a detachable cap which forms the top of the saidapparatus, and is fastened thereto, preferably by means of ascrew-thread blown in the glass neck. Said cap is provided with inlets Vfor the acid and water, and has attached a vertical tube, 1), whichcommunicates with the hydrogenspace in the bell-jar, and to which isscrewed the detachable supporting-handle G. I is a bracket attachedtosaid cap, in which is supported a small bichromate-of-potash battery,E, and F is another bracket upon the opposite side of the lamp, whichterminates in a socket in which the lamp B is adjustably held by abinding-screw. It is the burner-cone of the lamp, near which is locateda tube, S connecting, through rubber pipe M, with the tube D. Said tubeS has, near its extremity, a small orifice through which a jet ofhydrogen is directed upon the wick. Just below said orifice is a pieceof platinum wire, which forms the circuit between the two electrodes LL. Said electrodes are insulated in the burner-frame, and connected, bywires Q, with the bindingscrews P P, which are electrically connectedwith the two elements of the battery. J is a lever, which is attached toa cock, 0, that makes and closes communication between the tube S andthe bell-jar T. K is an extensionrod attached to the zinc of thebattery, and provided with a spiral spring which habitually holds thesaid zinc out of contact with the en citing liquid. The saidextension-rod is provided with any suitable connection with lever .J,for the purpose of rendering the'action of the battery and the escape ofhydrogen at the wick synchronous.

The operation of the above described lamp is very simple, all that isnecessary to light the same being to elevate the wick and depress rod K,which latter action heats the platinum wire by the electric current thusestablished, and the liberated jet of hydrogen being ignited thereforeignites the wick.

I am aware of the fact that it is not new to combine the principle ofthe galvanic battery with that of the Dobereiner lamp for the purpose ofsecuring a ready light, and I do not claim such, broadly.

Devices heretofore employed for this purpose, however, have proven to beuseless for all practical purposes by reason ot the clumsiness of theconstruction, the inconvenience in using, and the difficulties ofkeeping the parts clean and in repair, which objection my devices areintended to obviate.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is- Thehydro-electric lamp, consisting of .a'hollow base or pedestal, A,fgrptorming the D6- bereiner apparatus, the coil-oil lamp B, the batteryE, and the supporting-frame W I F, all combined and arrangedsubstantially as and for the purpose described.

PROF. WILLIAM HENRY ZIMMERMAN, A. M.

Witncsses:

WM. J. Rrvnns, A. HERBERT.

